Fireball Tim's Blog, page 617
February 6, 2014
SLINGSHOT… Today’s Sci-Fi HyperShort from Ethan Lawrence #shortstory #hypershort #sciencefictionstory
What if you could go back in time to save the world? But it would mean to get crushed and pulled apart at the same time. Would you?
SLINGSHOT by Ethan Lawrence
The State of Nevada had won its argument with the Federal government, and the plan to store tons of radioactive waste at an underground facility in Yucca Mountain was scrapped. But a way had to be found to get rid of the highly volatile waste that would remain dangerous for ten thousand years. The final solution was that it be shot into space toward the sun in specially equipped unmanned cargo shuttles where it would theoretically be rendered harmless. In the last ten years, several cargo shuttles containing tons of radioactive waste have been making their one-way trip, like ‘bullets from earth’, to be obliterated in the bowels of the sun.
Three manned shuttles are docked at the International space station to provide equipment and new personnel for the station expansion. They are the American ‘Pellucidar’, the French ‘L’Aiglon’ (The Eaglet), and the Russian ‘Potemkin II’. Commander of the American shuttle is Lt. Colonel Russell Larkin, whose ex-wife, Flight Surgical Officer Danielle Jouvet, has been on the space station for several months. Larkin is presently engaged to Captain Leslie Johns, a biology specialist, on board the Pellucidar, while Danielle is engaged to the pilot of the L’Aiglon, Commander Emil Barrault. While the two couples now manage to work together aboard the space station, the conflict between them is as volatile as rocket fuel and just as combustible.
The trio of shuttles have been docked at the station for several days and are preparing to return to Earth when they are advised from their bases that a major event will be taking place on the sun. A geomagnetic storm spawned by a giant eruption of gas on the sun will be far larger and more disruptive than scientists have predicted.
An American NASA official makes contact with Larkin. “It’s bad, Colonel. Estimates say it will cause extensive destruction worldwide.”
“Are we talking about a super solar storm?’ asks a concerned Larkin.
“Much worse. It will be a violent ‘coronal mass ejection’. Solar gas and charged particles will sweep toward Earth at 2 million mph.”
“Jesus Christ,” responds Larkin. “Is it because of the radioactive wastes that have been bombarding the sun for a decade?”
“I’m afraid so.”
Hours later, the space station and the shuttles are orbiting the far side of the earth as the massive geomagnetic event first knocks out all worldwide communications, electromagnetic energy, then hits the earth’s sunward side and causes massive destruction, turning that side of the earth into a fiery sea of burning ash. There is little left for the members of the station and shuttle to do as the remaining hours will lead to their own destruction. There is no way home. There will be no home to go back to.
The recognition that earth and all that they have known is devastating to the relatively small group of astronauts from various countries. The conflict between Larkin, his ex-wife and their new partners is overshadowed by the realization that children, parents, friends, all are dying or are dead, that their own lives are on the line.
They can’t stay where they are because, while they have air and water aboard the shuttles and the station that could last a year or two, it cannot sustain them indefinitely. But it is Danielle who comes up with a wild and almost impossible scheme to contemplate. Her calculations and daring suggestions appear to allow them at least a chance of survival, though some are far more skeptical than others.
“Einstein’s theory of relativistic travel,” Danielle tells shuttle Commanders.
“Are you joking, Danielle?” responds a frightened Captain Johns.
“I know, Leslie,” she counters. “My idea is bold, even reckless, but it’s the only possibility for us and for mankind to survive.”
“Haven’t you been paying attention! Shouts Larkin. “Mankind is gone!”
“Yes. But we can use the sun’s massive solar ejection and gravitational pull…”
French Commander Barrault cuts her off. “To do what?”
“To create a time warp,” answers Danielle. “And ‘slingshot’ all three shuttles into the past…”
©2014EthanLawrence
ETHAN LAWRENCE – BIOGRAPHY
Born in Hollywood, California, Ethan Lawrence has served on the writing staffs of the TV series The Pretender, Murder in Small Town X, Fearing Mind, So Weird and SyFy’s acclaimed series Eureka. He has developed web series for Generate Management/Alloy Entertainment such as Full Metal Alchemist and has sold TV pilots to NBC, ABC and The Gold Company. He wrote the screenplay Hellraiser 5 for Dimension Films, Nevermore for Propaganda Films, Downloader for Stuart Gordon/Red Hen Productions, Mortal Velocity for Warner Bros. Studios, Creepers for Papa Joe Films (based on the David Morrell New York Times bestseller Creepers) and wrote the feature film Asylum for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios/Hyde Park Entertainment.
February 4, 2014
CONFIRMED for 5MINUTE DRIVE upcoming episodes… @TheDeniseCrosby @BillMumy @RayAbruzzo
Very excited about the next few weeks as my guests roll in for 5MINUTE DRIVE. Filming this Thursday with (Star Trek The Next Generation) followed by (Lost In Space & The Twilight Zone) and then (Sopranos.) I’ll also be interviewing Director if all goes well.
Be sure to check out the last couple of episodes with Actors ERIC PIERPOINT and TONY DOW. Rock N’ Roll, baby…
February 3, 2014
TRANSMUTATION… A Wickedly Cool Sci-Fi HyperShort by Anthony Lawrence
Another “outta the park” HyperShort by Fireball Pop, this one is. (Hey, I sounded like Yoda…) Enjoy.
TRANSMUTATION by Anthony Lawrence
Panic swept over me. Consciousness returning. No pain. I couldn’t open my eyes. I couldn’t move. Not even my eyelids. Silence. In the deepest forest you can hear birds, crickets. Out on the vast sea, you can hear waves, the wind. Even in deep space, you can hear your heart beating. This was the silence of death. But I couldn’t be dead. Maybe just dreaming. A nightmare. But it’s like a lucid dream. There’s awareness. Memory. The accident! Oh, God, Jen, I saw her face! Her beautiful face, covered in blood, dead, before I passed out! She was gone! I was alone in silence and darkness. Where could I be? What could I be? Why couldn’t I move or see or hear? But wait. I was in a coma! That must be it! I was in a medically induced coma. I was badly injured and they had to put me into coma. It was just temporary. Or was it? When would I come out of it? How could I know? Maybe it wasn’t temporary. Maybe I wouldn’t come out of it. Maybe never. No, it couldn’t be! I couldn’t be stuck here in darkness and silence forever. I wanted to scream but I couldn’t.
Jen and I were astronauts. Astronauts, yes! A comforting memory! Not much but something. I was able to remember. Two weeks from the launch. Another thought. Civilian spacecraft. Where were we going? I struggled to remember! Alpha Centauri B. Exoplanet. Surface area larger than earth. Liquid water. Superhabitable. Thoughts burst into my mind. Like puffs of smoke. Final hope for the human race. Avoid extinction. Global warming. Then it came! The truck! The sounds in my mind. Smashing, breaking glass, darkness, silence, panic, hopelessness. Oh God, why couldn’t I move? If I could just move, only the slightest bit. Move! To move is to know you’re alive!
Then I heard her voice. No, it was not a voice. I felt her presence and I seemed to be a part of her mind. It was something she called “quorum sensing” and her thoughts were non-linear, like millions of seeds being planted in my head simultaneously. How does one explain “collective consciousness” or what it feels like to become aware of chemical “signals”? Jen was a bio-engineer and she was producing “output chemicals” to my mind that seemed to explain everything. I was now a part of something known as “wave function collapse” that occurs in isolation. I suddenly understood the nature of single cells and how colonies mimic biological neural networks. I understood altruistic and cooperative behavior and the influence of colony structures. I knew we were using chemicals to talk to each other. It was not a psychic trauma to know that we were partly made of pond scum because a new and astonishing vista had unfolded.
We were able now to communicate in sophisticated ways, take concerted action, influence human physiology, alter human thinking, and work together to bio-engineer the environment. I knew now about the connectiveness of all life on this planet, and that enzymes can be as smart as the human brain. We had transmuted somehow into eminent microbial life. We were now a part of something like bees and ants serving the greater good. I had become part of the largest, strangest cooperative microorganism on earth.
We were already consuming plastics and the metal of the Titanic’s wasted wreck, and through organization, cooperation and growth, we were like alchemists who would soon convert the corrupted base matter of this world back into gold.
©2014
February 2, 2014
What’s happening at THE FIREBALL PAD this week? @johnvarvatos @AZSuperBowl @milldogrescue @THR @BillMumy @WCM_AgouraHills
It’s Superbowl Sunday and despite the fact that I unfortunately will be missing the game due to un-forseen chowdowning, this week is bringing absolute craziness. But, I have the Universe to thank for all that, as I alone am completely useless. So, let’s get started…
• CARS… Tomorrow brings the 2014 CHRYSLER 300 VARVATOS EDITION above. Snazzy, and will result in a great 5MINUTE DRIVE episode with my next guest. Who is it? Um… that’s a surprise, although I’ll soon be having Actors y, and Director .
• TOYS… Still designing TOYS for a new company for this Christmas, to be on shelves in hopefully Wal-Mart, Target, Sam’s Club and more. They are coming along nicely and should make an impact on the cool-factor scale.
• DESIGN… Finished last week designing a new vehicle for BEN AFFLECK. This one he’ll have on set with him for BATMAN VS. SUPERMAN. Vehicle is being built right now at Picture Car Warehouse in the Val. Looking good.
• CONFIRMED… Kathie’s company, KCL has secured the Mascot for the 2015 SUPERBOWL in Arizona. I finished designing that a few weeks back and despite some slight adjustments, we’ll start building Wednesday.
• INSIDE SCOOP… Did a fun Kid’s T-Shirt design that will be EXCLUSIVE to World Class Motoring in Agoura. It will be available online in the next few weeks, but I’ll keep you posted. The line is called MUSCLE•KID™.
• BRECKENRIDGE CONFIRMED… Yes, we’ll be heading to Breckenridge Colorado from some Snowboarding Action on February 20th. Also be meeting with the cool peeps of THE NATIONAL MILL DOG RESCUE.
I scratched my ear and out fell some… FUTURETECTURE!!!! #architect #architecture #design #structures
Today’s global design is way forward. Some cool concepts and actual built structure from everywhere, and of course some Zaha coolness.
CAPTAIN AMERICA Posters are sexy whatever… #poster #captainamerica #marvel
Despite how sexy these poster are from CAPTAIN AMERICA WINTER SOLDIER, they don’t really reveal much other than the standard. Sexy people walking around with weapons. (Samuel Jackson being a weapon himself, that is.) So, enjoy their nonsense and let’s move on to REALLY cool stuff.
February 1, 2014
All new CARSHORT with the 2014 Kia Optima Hybrid! @kia #2014kiaoptima #fireballcarshort #funny
Today brings an all new CARSHORT with the 2014 Kia Optima Hybrid. I found out that KIA stands for Kool Interplanetary Automobile. Wow. Didn’t know that even in the slightest. Watch the episode to see why the Universe likes Kia so much. Then, go get a bowl of FrankenBerry Cereal and watch cartoons. 
